Bart De Schutter's Research Page
Research interests
- Multi-level and multi-agent control of large-scale systems
- Reinforcement learning and deep learning
- Model predictive control of large-scale systems and hybrid systems
- Integrated optimization-based and learning-based control
- Control of discrete-event systems and hybrid systems
- Control in the presence of uncertainty
- Control of traffic and transportation networks
- Control of intelligent infrastructure networks (water, electricity,
logistics)
- Predictive maintenance for intelligent infrastructure networks
Current and recent projects
- "A novel control paradigm for
large-scale hybrid networks (CLariNet)", ERC Advanced Grant,
2021-2026
- "Integrated approach to assess the
levels and impact of contaminants of emerging concern on blue
health and biodiversity modulated by climate change drivers
(ONE-BLUE)", Horizon Europe project, 2024-2027
- "Holistic
and integrated asset management for Europe’s rail system
(IAM4RAIL)", Horizon Europe project, 2023-2026
- "SeaClear2.0 - Scalable full-cycle
marine litter remediation in the Mediterranean: Robotic and
Participatory solutions", European HE project, 2023-2026
- "SeaClear - Search,
identification and collection of marine litter with autonomous
robots", European H2020 project, 2020-2023
Additional
information:
SeaClear
movie
Click here for a list of all
completed projects.
Current PhD students, postdocs, and research fellows
- Mengyi Wang: "Resilience informed AI for railway infrastructure",
PhD student, July 2025-...
- Joost Commandeur: "AI-driven joint optimization of fleet
scheduling and energy management for e-mobility operations", PhD
student, Sept. 2024- ...
- Ying Ma: "Data-driven approaches for monitoring and assessing
contaminants in marine environments", PhD student, May 2024-...
- Kaya ter Burg: "Machine learning for multi-sensor detection and
classification for autonomous underwater robots", PhD student,
Mar. 2024-...
- Giray Önür: "Integrated optimization- and learning-based
control for smart transportation networks", PhD student,
Nov. 2023-...
- Reza Riahi Samani: "Data-driven prediction and decision making for
maintenance of railway tracks", PhD student, Aug. 2023-...
- Changrui Liu: "Performance analysis of integrated optimization-based
and learning-based control", PhD student, Feb. 2023-...
- Samuel Mallick: "Multi-agent integrated optimization-based and
learning-based control for large-scale networks with hybrid
dynamics", PhD student, Nov. 2022-...
- Francesco Cordiano: "Integrated optimization-based and
learning-based control for constrained hybrid systems in the
presence of uncertainty", PhD student, Oct. 2022-...
- Gianpietro Battocletti: "Learning-based cooperative multi-agent
control", PhD student, Oct. 2022-...
- Caio Fabio Oliveira da Silva: "Integrated optimization- and
learning-based control methods for PWA systems", PhD student,
Oct. 2021-..
Former PhD students
- Alessandro Riccardi: "Distributed and multi-level predictive
control: Partitioning and abstraction"
(pdf), PhD student,
Oct. 2021-Sept. 2024, obtained the PhD degree on Apr. 8, 2026
- Eghonghon-Aye Eigbe: "Optimising discrete problems - Decision
diagrams and conbtext-aware heuristics"
(pdf), PhD student,
Sept. 2020-Sept. 2024, obtained the PhD degree on Apr. 8, 2026
- Kanghui He: "Learning-based control under constraints - Towards
safety and computational efficiency"
(pdf), PhD student,
Nov. 2021-Oct. 2025, obtained the PhD degree on Jan. 20, 2026
- Athina Ilioudi: "Deep-learning-based computer vision for
underwater environments"
(pdf), PhD student,
June 2020-Aug. 2024, obtained the PhD degree on June 4, 2025
- Zulkifli Hidayat: "Identification of finite dimensional
spatiotemporal systems"
(pdf), PhD student,
May 2009-Apr. 2013, obtained PhD degree on Apr. 28, 2025
- Leila Gharavi: "Proactive approach to safe automated driving:
Control of evasive maneuvers in hazardous scenarios"
(pdf), PhD student,
Feb. 2021-Jan. 2025, obtained PhD degree on Mar. 3, 2025
- Ali Moradvandi: "Advancing resource recovery from wastewater --
Mechanistic modeling, hybrid system identification, adaptive
predictive control"
(pdf), PhD
student, Sept. 2020-Aug. 2024, obtained PhD degree on Jan. 22,
2025
- Xiaoyu Liu: "Distributed and learning-based model predictive
control for urban rail transit networks"
(pdf), PhD student,
Nov. 2020-Oct. 2024, obtained PhD degree on Oct. 23, 2024
- Kailan Wu: "Decision-making and coordination in green supply
chains with asymmetric information"
(pdf), PhD student,
Sept. 2017-Aug. 2021, obtained PhD degree on July 10, 2024
- Dingshan Sun: "Multi-level and learning-based model predictive
control for traffic management"
(pdf), PhD student,
Mar. 2019-Mar. 2023, obtained PhD degree on Oct. 3, 2023
- Jeroen Fransman: "Distributed constraint optimization for
cooperative autonomous vehicles"
(pdf), PhD student,
Aug. 2016-July 2020, obtained PhD degree on Nov. 14, 2022
- Jianfeng Fu: "Failure prevention and restoration in power
systems" (pdf), PhD
student, Oct. 2018-Sept. 2022, obtained PhD degree on Sept 20,
2022
- Erwin de Gelder: "Safety assessment of automated vehicles using
real-life driving scenarios"
(pdf), PhD student,
Oct. 2017-Oct. 2021, obtained PhD degree on Sept. 9, 2022
- Yashar Zeinaly: "Model-based control of large-scale baggage
handling systems - Leveraging the theory of linear positive systems
for robust scalable control design"
(pdf), PhD student,
Nov. 2010-Nov. 2014, obtained PhD degree on June 24, 2022
- Jesus Lago: "Incentivizing renewables and reducing grid imbalances
through market interaction - A forecasting and control approach"
(pdf), PhD student,
Sept. 2016-Aug. 2020, obtained PhD degree cum laude on
Sept. 28, 2020
- Tomás Pippia: "Model-based control for hybrid and uncertain
smart energy systems"
(pdf), PhD student, June
2016-May 2020, obtained PhD degree on Sept. 7, 2020
- Xiaojie Luan: "Traffic management optimization of railway
networks" (pdf), PhD
student, Dec. 2016-July 2019, obtained PhD degree cum
laude on July 1, 2019
- Jia Xu: "Optimization and model-based control for max-plus
linear and continuous piecewise affine systems"
(pdf), PhD student,
Sept. 2012-Aug. 2016, obtained PhD degree on June 6, 2019
- Farid Alavi: "Model predictive control of fuel-cell-car-based smart
energy systems in the presence of uncertainty"
(pdf),
PhD student,
Oct. 2014-Sept. 2018, obtained PhD degree on Apr. 3, 2019
- Zhou Su: "Maintenance optimization for railway
infrastructure networks" (pdf),
PhD student, Apr. 2014-Apr. 2018,
obtained PhD degree on Sept. 13, 2018
- Anahita
Jamshidnejad: "Efficient predictive model-based and fuzzy
control for green urban mobility"
(pdf), PhD
student, May 2013-Apr. 2017, obtained PhD degree cum laude
on June 22, 2017
For this PhD thesis Anahita Jamshidnejad has
been awarded the 1st Prize in the
2018 IEEE
ITSS Best PhD Dissertation Award competition.
- Renshi Luo: "Multi-agent control of urban transportation networks
and of hybrid systems with limited information sharing"
(pdf), PhD student,
Sept. 2012-Aug. 2016, obtained PhD degree on Nov. 30, 2016
- Kim Verbert: "Fault diagnosis and maintenance optimization for
interconnected systems - with applications to railway and climate
control systems"
(pdf), PhD student,
Oct. 2012-Sept. 2016, obtained PhD degree on Nov. 22, 2016
- Le Li: "Multi-level and multi-agent control of intelligent
infrastructures" (pdf),
PhD student, Dec. 2011-Nov. 2015, obtained PhD degree on June 20,
2016
- Shuai Liu: "Modeling, robust and distributed model predictive
control for freeway networks"
(pdf),
PhD student, Dec. 2011-Nov. 2015,
obtained PhD
degree on May 30, 2016
- Zhe Cong: "Efficient optimization methods for freeway
management and control"
(pdf), PhD
student, Oct. 2009-Oct. 2013, obtained PhD degree on Nov. 30,
2015
- Bart Kersbergen: "Modeling and control of switching
max-plus-linear systems - Rescheduling of railway traffic and
changing gaits in legged locomotion"
(pdf), PhD
student, Aug. 2011-July 2015, obtained PhD degree on Oct. 22, 2015
- Mohammad Hajiahmadi: "Optimal and robust switching control
strategies: Theory, and applications in traffic management"
(pdf),
PhD student, May 2011-Apr. 2015, obtained PhD degree cum
laude on Apr. 20, 2015
- Yihui Wang: "Optimal trajectory planning and train scheduling for
railway systems", PhD student, Sept. 2010-Sept. 2014, obtained PhD
degree on Nov. 3, 2014
- Noortje Groot: "Reverse Stackelberg games: Theory and
applications in traffic control",
(pdf), PhD
student, Dec. 2009-Nov. 2013, obtained PhD degree on Nov. 12,
2013
- Samira Farahani: "`Approximation methods in stochastic max-plus
systems", (pdf),
PhD student, Sept. 2008-Aug. 2012, obtained PhD degree on
Nov. 28, 2012
- Dang Doan: "Distributed model predictive controller design
based on distributed optimization"
(pdf),
PhD student, Nov. 2008-Nov. 2012, obtained PhD
degree on Nov. 21, 2012
- Solomon Kidane Zegeye: "Model-based traffic control for
sustainable mobility"
(pdf), PhD student,
Oct. 2007-Oct. 2011, obtained PhD degree on Oct. 11, 2011
- Shu Lin: "Efficient model predictive control for large-scale
urban traffic networks"
(pdf), PhD
student, Oct. 2008-Oct. 2010, obtained PhD degree on Apr. 19,
2011
- Jelmer van Ast: "Self-organizing moving agents for distributed
sensing and control"
(pdf),
Apr. 2006-June 2010, obtained PhD degree on Sept. 14, 2010
- Monique van den Berg: "Integrated control of mixed traffic
networks using model predictive control"
(pdf),
Nov. 2003-Aug. 2009, obtained PhD degree on April 22, 2010
- Alina Tarău: "Model-based control for postal
automation and baggage handling",
(pdf),
Feb. 2006-Jan. 2010, obtained PhD degree on January
19, 2010
- Lakshmi Dhevi Baskar: "Traffic management and control in
intelligent vehicle highway systems"
(pdf),
Oct. 2005-Dec. 2009, obtained PhD degree on November 18, 2009
- Zsofia Lendek: "Reasoning under uncertainty" (pdf),
Mar. 2005-Mar. 2009, obtained PhD degree on
March 10, 2009
- Lucian Buşoniu:
"Reinforcement learning in continuous state and action spaces"
(pdf),
Jan. 2005-Jan. 2009, obtained PhD degree cum laude on
January 13, 2009
- Ronald van Katwijk: "Multi-agent look-ahead traffic adaptive
control" (pdf),
Mar. 2004-Jan. 2008, obtained PhD degree on January 29, 2008
- Rudy Negenborn: "Multi-agent model
predictive control with applications to power networks"
(pdf),
Jan. 2004-Dec. 2007, obtained PhD degree on December 18,
2007 (see also http://www.negenborn.net/mampc/)
- Olaf Gietelink:
"Design and validation of advanced driver
assistance systems"
(pdf),
Jan. 2003-Dec. 2007, obtained PhD degree on November
19, 2007
- Ion Necoara:
"Model predictive control for max-plus-linear and
piecewise-affine systems"
(pdf),
Nov. 2002-Oct. 2006, obtained PhD degree cum
laude on
October 17, 2006
- Andreas Hegyi:
"Model predictive control for integrating traffic control measures"
(pdf),
Oct. 1999-Dec. 2003, obtained PhD degree on February
3, 2004
- Tom Bellemans:
"Traffic control on motorways"
(pdf),
Sept. 1998-May 2003, obtained PhD degree on May 19,
2003
Former PhD students - promotor only
- Filippo Airaldi: "Model-based reinforcement learning for
predictive control and optimisation"
(pdf),
Nov. 2021-Oct. 2025, obtained PhD degree on May 11, 2026
(supervisor: Azita Dabiri)
- Abhimanyu Gupta: "Max-plus-algebraic hybrid automata -- Beyond
synchronization and linearity"
(pdf),
Mar. 2018-Feb. 2022, obtained PhD degree on Jan. 30, 2023
(supervisor: Ton van den Boom)
- Ximan Wang: "Navigation and coordination of fixed-wing unmanned
aerial vehicles under mission
uncertainty" (pdf),
Oct. 2018-Sept. 2022, obtained PhD degree on Nov. 16, 2022
(supervisor: Simone Baldi)
- Tian Tao: "Adaptive control of interconnected and multi-agent
systems" (pdf),
Oct. 2018-Oct. 2022, obtained PhD degree on Sept. 28, 2022
(supervisor: Simone Baldi)
- Maolong Lyu: "Adaptive distributed control of uncertain
multi-agent systems in the power-chained form"
(pdf),
Jan. 2018-Dec. 2021, obtained PhD degree on Oct. 1, 2021
(supervisor: Simone Baldi)
- Shuai Yuan: "Control of switched linear systems - Adaptation and
robustness" (pdf),
Sept. 2014-July 2018, obtained PhD degree cum laude on July
5, 2018 (supervisor: Simone Baldi)
- Dieky Adzkiya: "Finite abstractions of max-plus-linear systems:
Theory and algorithms"
(pdf), June
2010-June 2014, obtained PhD degree on Oct. 19, 2014 (supervisor:
Alessandro Abate)
Former postdocs and visiting scholars
- Anil Alan: "Integrated optimization- and learning-based
multi-agent control of large-scale networks with hybrid dynamics",
postdoc, Aug. 2024-Jul. 2026
- Amala Mary Vincent: "Robust machine-learning-based detection and
classification for autonomous underwater robots", postdoc,
Jul. 2024-Jun 2026
- Shengling Shi: "Integrated optimization-based and learning-based
control for large-scale hybrid systems", postdoc, Oct. 2021-Feb. 2024
- Ben Wolf: "Machine-learning-based classification and control for
safe cleaning of coastal waters using autonomous vehicles",
postdoc, Jan. 2021-Dec. 2022
- Luigi de Araujo Passos, "Comfortable natural ventilation and
energy reduction", postdoc, July 2019-July 2022
- Jose Ramon Dominguez Frejo: "Efficient traffic control with
variable speed limits: Bridging the gap between theory and
practical implementation", Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow,
Feb. 2017-Jan. 2019
- Shu Lin: "Stochastic urban traffic control", visiting scholar,
Apr. 2017-Apr. 2018
- Anahita Jamshidnejad: "Multi-level model predictive control for
large-scale systems", postdoc, May 2017-Nov. 2017
- Shahrzad Faghih Roohi: "Information fusion and data mining for
large-scale railway data sets", postdoc, May 2015-Oct. 2016
- Anna Sadowska: "Distributed model predictive control of
large-scale water and power networks", July 2012-Jan. 2015
- Noortje Groot: "Reverse Stackelberg games: Theory and
applications", postdoc, Dec. 2013-May 2014
- Mernout Burger: "Model-based predictive control for intelligent
micro-transportation systems", Jan. 2011-Dec. 2012
- Alfredo Núñez: "Hierarchical and distributed
model predictive control", Feb. 2010-Jan. 2013
- Yuping Li: "Robust model
predictive control of water networks", Jan. 2010-Oct. 2011
- Zsofia Lendek: "Reasoning under uncertainty", postdoc,
Mar. 2009-Mar. 2011
- Kateřina Staňková: "Game theoretic methods for
control of large-scale systems", Mar. 2010-Feb. 2011
- Lucian Buşoniu: "Reinforcement learning", postdoc,
Jan. 2009-Mar. 2011
- Rudy Negenborn: "Intelligent model-based predictive
control methods for flood and water management",
Jan. 2008-Dec. 2010
- Ronald van Katwijk: "Decentralized traffic control",
Feb. 2008-Dec. 2008
- Puspita Deo: "Modeling and control of transportation networks and
logistic systems", Dec. 2007-Nov. 2009
- Ion Necoara: "Model predictive control for hybrid systems", Oct.
2006-Jan. 2007
- Daniele Corona: "Control of hybrid systems",
July 2005-July 2007
- Andreas Hegyi: "Coordinated control of freeway networks",
Jan. 2004-Jan. 2005 and June 2005-May 2007
List of
publications
Go to my home page.
This page is maintained by
Bart De Schutter.
Last modification: August 9, 2026.